If there had been a PAT 2700 camera at the ski slope, or in the ambulance, Natasha Richardson could be alive today. Her injury was very treatable if detected within 60 minutes after the injury.

NII will soon be developing a photoacoustic, handheld, lightweight and portable scanner (PAT 2700) to detect bleeding in the brain in real time. The camera will be used on the battlefield, at the scene of an accident, in the ER, in the Operating Room, on the athletic field, and in an ambulance.

The PAT 2700 scanners will utilize our patented technology, Optical Ultrasound Tomography™ (OUT), which is a combination of optical imaging and ultrasound. The scanners will quickly, safely, non-invasively, accurately and without any radiation:

Detect the presence, location, size and shape of a brain hematoma or hemorrhage,

Detect if the bleeding in the brain is growing and worsening,

Transmit images in "real time" to a waiting medical facility,

Allow an ER physician to triage which patient requires brain surgery immediately and which patient can be monitored and treated with medication.

5,000,000 million Americans currently suffer some sort of TBI disability. Head injuries to children account for approximately one hundred thousand hospitalizations annually. Children, especially newborns, are much more vulnerable to brain injuries since their skulls are thinner and still in development.

300,000 U.S. veterans suffer from brain disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury."Ideally, screening should occur immediately following the injury event or as soon as operationally feasible." - Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center.

In addition to early detection of bleeding in the brain, the PAT 2700 camera will continuously monitor patients at the bedside. By safely monitoring the brains of patients, the PAT 2700 will shed light on possible cures and treatment for brain injuries and brain diseases.